Troublesome Creek Farm

Fields of stubble stretch to the horizon,each pale stalk protruding from frozen groundlike bone. In fall, cows and crows came, tookand left trampled husks and cobs to whitheras winter moved in, snow falling like ashon barns and implements andtelephone lines carrying news of the diagnosisswiftly along from house to house.

Butch said it was the saddest thinghe’d ever heard, his hand, the onethe combine tore two fingers from, grippinga mug of undrunk coffee.